Recent attention has been drawn to two-year-old articles from The New York Times that raise concerns about the independence of the Justice Department under President Joe Biden.
In June, President Biden made a statement asserting that Americans should trust the DOJ's independence because he is an honest leader.
"I have never once suggested to the Justice Department what they should do or not do, relative to bringing a charge or not bringing a charge. I'm honest," Biden stated.
However, The New York Times reported that behind closed doors, Biden expressed frustration that the DOJ was not being aggressive enough in pursuing former President Donald Trump. In a March 2023 article, The Times highlighted the DOJ's vigorous prosecution of individuals involved in the January 6th events. The article suggested that Biden's alleged desire for a more aggressive approach towards Trump may have indirectly influenced the DOJ's actions.
While The Times did not directly implicate Biden in influencing Attorney General Merrick Garland, the reporting did leave room for the possibility that senior aides may have encouraged the DOJ to pursue Trump more aggressively, aligning with Biden's alleged wishes. This scenario is not uncommon in Washington, according to Wall Street Journal columnist Kim Strassel.
"Biden was never going to produce a memo and send it to the Department of Justice outlining his wishes. Nobody does that they all want plausible deniability when it comes to sending orders to DOJ," Strassel explained during a recent appearance on Fox News. "Instead, he tells a close circle of confidants, and then those confidants tell others, and that message gets to Merrick Garland."
These revelations raise questions about the extent of Biden's influence on the DOJ's decision-making process. The independence of the Justice Department is crucial to maintaining the integrity of the American justice system. Any perception of interference or bias can undermine public trust in the department's ability to uphold the rule of law.
As the Biden administration faces ongoing scrutiny over its handling of various legal matters, including investigations into the 2020 presidential election and the events of January 6, it is essential for the administration to address these concerns and provide reassurance that the DOJ operates independently from political influence.
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